THIRD WORLD NETWORK BIOSAFETY INFORMATION SERVICE

3 August 2005

  
Dear friends and colleagues,
  
RE: BIOSAFETY INFORMATION CENTRE

We are pleased to announce the Biosafety Information Centre, a website set up and managed by Third World Network. The website address is www.biosafety-info.net

The goals are to:

• Increase knowledge on, and deepen understanding of, (w)holistic approaches for a comprehensive assessment of technologies and techniques that involve genetic engineering
• Contribute to a wider public discussion and critical understanding of the scientific, ecological , social, economic and ethical dimensions of genetic engineering under the rubric of biosafety
• Contribute to the enhancement of the biosafety capacity of policy makers and regulators in developing countries
• Promote research (including the identification of gaps in knowledge) on biosafety
• Promote research on, and implementation of, sustainable systems for agriculture, health and ecological integrity
• Promote understanding of, and respect for, the rights, knowledge and practices of indigenous peoples and local communities

The Biosafety Information Centre offers two online services:

The Biosafety Information Service is an electronic mailing that covers topics listed in the Menu of our website. It provides a wide range of scientific and socio-economic information related to genetic engineering and biosafety; shares developments and experiences on biosafety policies, laws and practices as they evolve at the international, regional and national levels; and promotes the implementation of sustainable systems for agriculture, health and ecological integrity.

The objective of BIS is to provide a flow of information, particularly to policy makers, regulators, scientists, researchers and civil society organisations in developing countries so that informed decisions can be made on the basis of comprehensive and most up-to-date data and analysis.

The electronic mailings are also archived in the BIS section according to the topics listed in the Menu of our website.

The Biosafety Info Update is a monthly electronic mailing. It provides a list of new postings published on our website over each month, to enable you to keep track of recent, updated or important information, news and analysis related to biosafety.

*** In order to continue receiving BIS mailings and/or to receive the Update mailings please go to the website www.biosafety-info.net and subscribe or go directly to http://www.biosafety-info.net/subscribe.php. We urge you to enter your updated contact details so that you can continue to receive BIS mailings, and the occasional hard copies of books and documents we may send out***

Meetings: Since the development of biosafety science, laws, policies and practices is dynamic and evolving, there are crucial discussions and negotiations taking place at the international level, especially in fora and processes at the United Nations. These include meetings related to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety or conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organisation, the World Health Organisation and the World Trade Organisation.

There are also many meetings on the scientific foundations of genetic engineering, the ecological, human and socio-economic impacts of genetic engineering as well as the principles, models and practices of sustainable systems.

Thus our website will provide information, reports and analysis of selected meetings that cover this range of issues. Critical meetings at the regional and national level will also be covered, where possible and feasible. Related readings of relevance and importance to the subject matter of the meetings are also posted.

Publications on genetic engineering, biosafety and related issues that are published or co-published by Third World Network (TWN) are posted on our website. These are available for online purchase at the TWN website. Some of the publications are also available online at the Biosafety Information Centre and these are located under the relevant sub-buttons.

You can contact the Biosafety Information Centre at contact@biosafety-info.net

With best wishes,
Third World Network
121-S Jalan Utama
10450 Penang
Malaysia
Email: twnet@po.jaring.my
Website: www.twnside.org.sg